Hope is an interesting word. We hope for a lot of different things. We hope it won’t rain on the day we’ve planned a picnic. We hope there are no traffic jams on our commute to work. We hope to be able to find our favorite socks. We hope our teacher doesn’t give us a pop quiz.

This year marks 500 years since Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany (Oct. 31, 1517), challenging the established religious beliefs and practices of his denomination, and launching the Protestant Reformation. Conscientiously, he could not reconcile church practices with biblical teachings as he understood them.

Many people are shocked by the outcome of the election. Not Scott Adams, the cartoonist behind Dilbert. Over a year ago, Adams predicted Trump would win. There are lessons from his analysis that will help us better reach society today.

Multiple studies have shown that practicing gratitude results in being more resilient, more relaxed and less materialistic. It is difficult to be depressed and full of gratitude at the same time. This should not be surprising for people of the Word. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God.” (Col. 3:17). And “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thes. 5:18).

When King David decided to build the house of God, he prepared and planned for it. The Bible says that he bought all types of resources needed to build the temple. “Now for the house of my God I have prepared with all my might,” David said (1 Chr. 29:2).

The whole Israelite community was overjoyed when, through King Solomon, they built a place of worship and dedicated it to the Lord. It became a house of prayer. “I was glad when they said onto me, let us go to the house of the Lord” (Ps. 122:1).